Frequency, risk factors and outcomes of retinopathy of prematurity in a tertiary care hospital in Turkey.

The aim was to report outcomes of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening conducted between March 1999 and March 2012 in a retrospective manner before October 2005 (Group 1) and prospective manner thereafter (Group 2). Data of the neonates with either a gestational age of 34 weeks or less or with a birth weight of less than 1501 g were analyzed to elucidate the frequency of ROP, ROP-related risk factors and population characteristics. Of the 640 neonates, 240 (37.5%) had any stage of ROP. Gestational age <= 32 weeks, birth weight <1500 g, oxygen therapy, respiratory distress syndrome, and sepsis were found as independent determinants for any stage of ROP. Gestational age <= 28 weeks, mechanical ventilation, intraventricular hemorrhage, and outborn infant status were found as independent determinants for treatment-requiring severe ROP (8.6%). Frequency of ROP did not seem to follow a decreasing trend; however, neonates in Group 2 were more immature and sicker. Therefore, check-backs seem to be necessary to follow the dynamic nature of ROP.